Former AFL star Mark Mickan is given a ground-breaking brain implant to keep his Parkinson's disease at bay - and it can be controlled with an iPhone Former SA footy legend Mark Mickan has undergone a successful brain surgery The revolutionary surgery is called deep brain stimulation implant It has drastically improved his tremors and is expected to reduce further An appeal has been made to help the Mickan family for further assistance By Sahil Makkar For Daily Mail Australia Published: 03:00 BST, 21 April 2019 | Updated: 03:00 BST, 21 April 2019 Viewcomments A former AFL star and coach whose life has been devastated by Parkinson's has undergone radical surgery in a bid to keep his debilitating disease at bay. South Australian footy legend Mark Mickan, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2016, has undergone a revolutionary deep brain stimulation implant surgery. Neurosurgeons targeted the dysfunctional area inside Mickan's brain and implanted an electrode. The device can be controlled through a bluetooth-enabled iPhone. The brain surgery has drastically improved his tremors and is expected to improve his quality of life as he raises his two young children with wife Callie. Scroll down for video Mickan was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2016. He has undergone a successful deep brain stimulation implant surgery, which many are calling revolutionary Dr Girish Nair, a neurosurgeon who treated Mickan when he played for the Adelaide Crows, told Ten the disease had started to affect his daily activities such as feeding and coaching. 'He was pretty disabled when he first came to see us. 'The thought of staying awake and having someone drill holes into your skull would sort of take away a significant number of patients away from this operation.' Mickan played 85 AFL games with Brisbane and Adelaide from 1987 to 1993 and won the Crows' first club champion award in 1991. The father of two sons, Fletcher and Spencer, was named in the All-Australian team in 1998 and was an inaugural inductee of the SA Football Hall of Fame in 2002. The star ruckman has enjoyed stints of coaching since retiring from the AFL in 1994. The father of two sons, Fletcher and Spencer, was named in the All-Australian team in 1998 and was an inaugural inductee of the SA Football Hall of Fame in 2002 Mickan's battle against Parkinson's is not over yet. In a statement on the West Adelaide Football Club website, friend Bernie Conlen said life has been a battle for Mark and his wife Callie. 'Mark hasn't been able to work from late last year with Callie having to care for him. 'Last Saturday Mark underwent an operation, in Melbourne, to ease the tremors throughout his body and so far the signs are looking promising, but he has a long way to go. 'The operation isn't a cure but a pause as Mark will always live with Parkinson's. A group of people have got together to try and assist the Mickan family.' For Mickan the battle against Parkinson's is not over yet. An appeal has been made to help the Mickan family in any possible way A few facts about the Parkinson's disease 1. Parkinson’s is a movement and mood disorder typically presenting with symptoms such as slowness of movement, muscle rigidity, instability, tremor, depression and anxiety. 2. There are estimated to be some 80,000 Australians living with Parkinson’s disease. 3. A diagnosis can occur at any age with the most common age of diagnosis being 65. 4. About 20 per cent of those diagnosed are under the age of 50 and 10 per cent before the age of 40. 5. There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but there are effective treatment and therapy options that can help manage symptoms. 6. Help for Parkinson's patients is available on 1800 644 189 Source: Parkinson's NSW Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility